Science and the Monticello Maples Lecture for NR 435, February 2012 Martha Carlson, NRESS, University of New Hampshire Copyright 2012 University of New.

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Presentation on theme: "Science and the Monticello Maples Lecture for NR 435, February 2012 Martha Carlson, NRESS, University of New Hampshire Copyright 2012 University of New."— Presentation transcript:

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Science and the Monticello Maples Lecture for NR 435, February 2012 Martha Carlson, NRESS, University of New Hampshire Copyright 2012 University of New Hampshire Monticello photo.

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UNH Forest Watch researchers visited Monticello in February 2012 to visit the Jefferson sugar maples. We hypothesized that the Monticello maples might give us some insight into how New Hampshires sugar maples will respond to climate change.

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Jefferson, the Scientist Thomas Jefferson tested 300 varieties of 70 species of vegetables, 1031 fruit trees, 24 varieties of grapes, and 130 species of trees. "I am curious to select one or two of the best species or variety of every garden vegetable, and to reject all others from the garden to avoid the dangers of mixing or degeneracy, he wrote Brown Dutch (top) and tennis ball lettuces.

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Sustaining A Young Nation There is no doubt but that were there hands enough in the Sugar-maple country, there are trees enough not only to supply the U.S. but to carry a great deal to Europe and undersell that of the cane. The public attention is very much excited towards it, and the high price of W. India sugars will draw these forth.

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Subject to British Markets West Indies cane for sugar, molasses and rum was only one product the United States had to buy from the British. Flour, shingles, steel tools, needles, wheels, plows and guns, liquor and ale, linen and wool, every commodity was purchased from Britain or her coloniesat British prices.

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The sugar maple, Jefferson wrote a friend in England, "yields a sugar equal to the best from cane.... What a blessing to substitute a sugar which requires only the labour of children, for that which it is said renders the slavery of the blacks necessary." Jefferson Dreamed of Self- Sufficiency

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60 sugar maples in 1791 Jefferson planted 60 maple saplings in 1791; all but 8 died. Today, sugar maples line walkways and lawns at Monticello. These may be seedlings or 1880s plantings.

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Climate change is projected to eliminate the sugar maple in almost all of its U.S. range. Monticello is at the southeast edge of the maple range. Charlottesville

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Monticello is in the Virginia Piedmont. New Hampshires climate is projected to become as warm as Virginias in climate change models. Figure from The Changing Northeast Climate: Our Choices, Our Legacy, Union of Concerned Scientists, 2006.

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Have the Monticello Maples Adapted to Southern Climate? Could maple sap, buds, sugar and phenolic compounds and growth rings in these maples give us clues as to how New England maples might be adapting to climate change?

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The Deductive Approach: Framing A Hypothesis Maples at Monticello will display more stress than NH maples. Plan Protocols and Methods that will elucidate and test one hypothesis.

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The Inductive Approach Prepare to be surprised. Collect Everything Notice what is there and what is not there.

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We cored four trees. Pat Brodowski, a Monticello gardener and Dr. Barrett Rock of UNH, core a maple. Wood growth, stable isotopes, biochemistry, morphology of wood cells all may give clues about the health and history of these trees.

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We measured diameter at breast height and height of seven trees. Is their growth as vigorous, less so or more so, than NH trees? Do they respond to warming temperatures and changes in rainfall in the same way that NH trees have responded?

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A few milliliters of sap will be tested for total phenolics and 10 individual phenolicsprotective anti-oxidants.

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Analysis Begins Normally, maples put high priority on excellent buds. Even stressed trees produce 75% excellent buds. The rest were dead or damaged. In 2011, maples in NH were stressed by flowering and seed making, a reproductive necessity. This year, NH trees produced few excellent buds. But the number of dead or deformed buds was not much more than 25%. Most buds were small lateral (side) buds. Although they are small, these will produce a full crop of leaves in Spring 2012.

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Are Monticellos Buds in Poorer Condition?

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Are Monticello Trees Just as Healthy? Sap sugar in Monticello trees appears to be very similar to NH trees sap sugar at this time of year.

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Will the Seeds be viable?

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Healthy NH seeds were green last fall, not brown. Are they brown now? Or still green?

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If we knew what we were doing, it wouldnt be science. "Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people." -Franklin Delano Roosevelt